Sunday June 4 Service @ 10AM followed by Buddhism Class then followed by Board Meeting
Sunday, June 18 Sunday Memorial Service @ 10:00 AM. Otoki following Service
Reverend Nakano will be starting Basic Buddhism classes on the 1st Sunday immediately following
the Service. Classes will start June 4th.
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SOCIAL:
Tai Chi 5:00
Ninjitsu 5:30
June 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29th
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FAMILIES OBSERVING MEMORIALS IN JUNE
Tadashi Aoki, Kinuko Aoyama, Shoji Aoyama, Nobuko Azama, Masami Henmi, Sumiko Henmi, Bill
Kashiwagi, Tokuzo Kato, Tadayuki Kitagawa, Sotaro Koga, Shoji Kuno, Kitatake Matsuda, Christopher
Minami, Ichimatsu Nishino, Toshiharu Nishino, Diego Fox Roman, George Saki, Haruko Shimizu, Yoshikazu
Tani, Toyokuma Tomooka, Emiko Trejo, Leonard Ueki, Yoshimori Yamamoto, George Yoshihara
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CHURCH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
CHURCH DONATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Yoshie Oyabu, Shotsuki (May)
Joan Tomooka, In Memory of Masayoshi Tomooka, Toyokuma Tomooka, Kane Tomooka
Joyce Dendo, Sunday Service
Joan Henretta, Sunday Service
Lee/Frances Humphrey, Sunday Service
Keith Lyon, Sunday Service
Hugh Maenaga, Sunday Service
Alice Maxon, Sunday Service
Wataru Minami, Shotsuki (May)
Wataru Minami, Yard Sale (to Obon Acct)
Tomiko Miyamoto, Sunday Service
Tomiko Miyamoto, In Memory of Tets Furukawa
Gladys Schumacher
Alice Utsunomiya, Sunday Service
Lee Humphrey, Yard Sale (to Obon Acct)
Kirk Morri, In Memory of Sam Maenaga and Peggy Araki
Sets Tomooka, In Memory of Shoichi Tomooka
Joyce Dendo, In Memory of Shizuka Dobashi
Lee/Frances Humphrey, Special
Dan Iriyama, Shotsuki
Keith Lyon, Special
Hugh Maenaga, Shotsuki
Hugh Maenaga, In Memory of Sam Maenaga
Dena Massoudi, Special
Alice Maxon, Special
Stephen/Nadine McCarty, In Memory of Masayoshi Tomooka
Susan/Dennis Jang/Julie/Sam Minami, In Memory of Yaemon Minami
Susan Jang/Sam Minami, Flowers
Tomiko Miyamoto, Special
Gladys Schumacher, Special
Toshiko Tomooka, In Memory of Masayoshi (Massey) Tomooka
Doug/LaRay Tomooka, In Memory of Massey Tomooka
Alice Utsunomiya, Special
Maenaga Family, In Memory of Sam Maenaga
2023 Dues: Harry Masatani. Thank you.
I would like to add to last month’s Shotsuki otoki – Seiko Waki and Yoshie Oyabu. Please let me know
if I missed anyone else. aym.
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FUN:
We are looking for help to provide social
entertainment for the sangha. We would like to
provide movie nights, game nights or other
activities which interest the sangha. Activities
geared for young ones and/or older ones.
Please let us know what interests you and your
family, get involved, have fun. Let us know!
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DONATIONS:
Items for Yard Sale and for the Obon White Elephant Sale: We are still welcoming donations! Please make
arrangements to drop off at the church. Call Alice Maxon 805-714-6410 and she’ll meet you there.
Thank you.
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RECEIPTS:
If you are due a receipt from donations or membership please stop by the office, if unavailable to pick up the receipts, please call the office so we can arrange to get it delivered.
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Roof
The spring storms caused damage to the
church roof. The combination of age, the wind
and rain opened up several leaks in the roof
and due to the age/overall condition of the roof,
it needs to be replaced. We are seeing water
damage to the ceiling tiles in the dining hall as
well as the main Hondo area. There is
rotting/damaged wood in multiple areas of the
office building, main building and the front
entryway.
Demolition and replacing the roofs for the 3
buildings starts the 2nd week of May (15th)
and is expected to last up to 6 weeks. There
may be inconveniences during this period, we
will do our best to minimize the impact and be
aware services will continue all through the
construction activities.
Please do not plan to park next to the building
during this period, please use the parking lot
on the other side of the street.
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May Notes:
You have probably noticed the construction if you have been around
the church the last couple weeks, the spring storms
damaged the roof which with the natural aging left
leaks in the roof. Jim is heading a crew of
contractors stripping the roof, repairing the
damaged areas and replacing the shingles with
new. When finished the roof will be protecting the
current and future generation sanga for 30 years or
more. The entrance, tori, will also be getting
attention, replacing rotted wood and sprucing it up.
After all the repairs are completed and sealed up,
we will paint the church. If you have opinions on
the paint please email us at
GBCoffice48@gmail.com or let one of the officers
representing you know your preference.
On Sunday, April 30th, Joyce and Ricardo held a
Floral Arranging Workshop at the SLO Buddhist
Church. The event drew a full crowd of happy
people making very pretty flower arrangements.
Our thanks to SLO Church for inviting our sanga
and for Joyce and Ricardo for sharing their time
and knowledge
GBC had a yard sale Saturday May 6
The sale was very successful making $520.
Thanks to all the generous members of the sanga
who donated so many items as well as the
volunteers both on Friday and starting at 6 AM on
Saturday to set-up, run, and finally putting away
everything very late in the afternoon.
Cultural Center, Obon will be held at the Minami
Community Center, located at 600 West Enos
Drive in Santa Maria.
In addition to Obon being moved, we are
also moving our bon odori dance practices to
the Minami Center, with some extra practice
sessions at the church. Please join us at the
Minami Center for 4 practices on Mondays: July 3,
10, 17, 24, from 6:30 to 8:00pm. Additionally, we’ll
have 2 Saturday practices held at GBC: July 15 &
22, from 1 to 3pm.
Remember, Obon is our main fundraiser for
the church and we need your help to make this
event a success! BBQ chicken dinner tickets and
raffle tickets will be distributed this month so if you
do not receive any tickets or would like more,
please contact Esther or Alice Maxon. We also ask
that you please consider adding a “chicken
donation” to the church, to help offset costs.
We are rolling with the changes and thinking
of ways to make our Obon as joyful and
memory-making as possible. Bring your friends
and family, and let us know that you will be there to
join in the fun! See you at Obon!
In gassho~
Esther
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Rev. Nakano’s Message
“…The Dharma speaks to us through the sounds of the world-
Forcefully and eloquently and beautifully.
It speaks of the unending change around us,
the immutable truth of interdependence,
and the peace in nature.
Do we have the ears to hear and listen?…”
~Excerpt from “The Heart of the Buddha-Dharma”
By Rev.. Kenryu T. Tsuji
Everyday is a good day that we can live the Buddha’s teaching. It is a day filled with finding who and
what we truly are. We live a life of gratitude and thankfulness of knowing that we are surrounded by the light of Buddha’s compassion and wisdom. We come to appreciate Nembutsu/Namu Amida Butsu that helps us get through the day. Oh, we have our aches and pains and sometimes we feel “out of sorts”, but that is a natural procession of maturity. But to be able to live the teachings is another day of breathing the dharma. We are so fortunate to be able to choose how we live our lives. We have so many choices that we “think” will change our lives. Yet if we can come to terms with our understanding, the dharma can share ways that may change our lives also. Yet do we have the ears and eyes to hear and seek the Truth?
We find other things to do instead of attending services. Yet by coming to church, there can be a
change of attitude that we can attain. Sitting among the sangha, we form a unity, find friendship and gain
support and strength from each other as well from the dharma. We are on a path of searching, hearing and learning. Without sangha, there is no dharma and no dharma, no there is no Buddha.
I like to sit in the Hondo before everyone arrives. It gives me serenity and helps to clear the mind. I
guess one could call this “right mindfulness” or “right meditation”. I gather my thoughts and the atmosphere is soothing and peaceful. I love the quiet and I stare at the onaijin (shrine). I see the hardship of those who have come before us and their unselfish act of sharing and giving. I see the generation that brought the shrine, piece by piece, from Japan or San Francisco. I visualize horses and buggies traveling over unpaved roads and the journey these people had to struggle through. It is so automatic to put my palms together in Gassho in thankfulness, gratitude and appreciation for what they shared for the future generations.
When alone in the Hondo, I am my true self. I do not have to lead in chanting or share the dharma, I am
in my natural state. Sitting alone gives me the time to think, hear the sounds of the echoing of Nembutsu of generations past, present and future. I feel and hear my breathing of inhaling and exhaling. My heart becomes filled with compassion and my mind drifts to the dharma. I begin to think of the Golden Chain, Six Paramitas and the Eightfold Path. I am not alone for I know that Buddha and Shinran are there to share guidance and direction. It is Namu Amida Butsu.
It can be a wonderful day to sit in the church, to breathe freely and to be our true self. No one to see us,
no niceties, no one to bother us, just Nembutsu. We calmly gather our thoughts, prepare our ears to hear, look and appreciate the onaijin, smell the incense burning, feel the atmosphere of our past and we are ready to think. It is a good day to begin understanding Namu Amida Butsu! One day before service starts, come sit quietly alone and be your true self.
Gassho Rev. Seijo Naomi Nakano
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